The practice of subcontracting in the logistics sector is widespread across the EU and 'is creating a parallel labour market where the rights are not applied". He denounced him Livia Spera, Secretary General of the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), during a hearing held yesterday in the European Parliament European Union on the occasion of the presentation of the report "Sorry, We Subcontracted You" commissioned by the ETF and created by the by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), the independent research and training of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which documents how throughout the European Union Complex subcontracting chains are used to transfer reduce wages and compress the rights of workers in the logistics sector, in particular by affecting migrant workers and third-country nationals.

The representatives of the trade unions highlighted that this is anything but a gimmick, but rather a deliberate business model that is growing, which leverages systematically and trapping them in a system made up of precarious conditions and insecurity.

In view of the own-initiative report on abusive subcontracting in preparation by the European Parliament, the participants in the meeting yesterday underlined the urgent need for address these abuses. The report "Sorry, We Subcontracted You" - said the Secretary General of the ETUC, Esther Lynch, on the occasion of the hearing - demonstrates how powerful companies use subcontracting to evade their responsibilities, while the workers are paying the price. Who delivers our parcels - he underlined - is often underpaid, overburdened with work and lack basic protections. This is not fair and it is unsustainable. The EU needs clear rules to ensure that companies cannot hide behind layers of Subcontractors. All workers deserve decent and fair treatment, regardless of who signs their contract".

At the hearing, the unions asked to introduce an EU-wide ban on subcontracting activities which are part of the core business of companies, to ensure the ascertainment of responsibilities throughout the chain logistics, to ensure better inspection activities of the work activities and stricter enforcement of existing rules.